Chain connecter



Feb. 1'0, 1925*. 1,525,953

H. J. R|cHARD$ CHAIN CONNECTER Filed March 24, 1922 m wm Jmmi a I Patented Feb. 10, 1925.

UNITED STATES HOMER J. RICHARDS, OF CABROLLTON, OHIO.

CHAIN CONNECTER.

Application filed March 24, 1922. Serial No. 546,352.

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, I-IOMER J. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Carrollton, in the county of Carroll and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Chain Connecter, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to chain connecters such as are used in connecting separable tire chains and the like, and the objects of the invention are to provide a connecter of this character which will be securely engaged by merely inserting a stem on one end of the chain into a receiving socket on the other end of the chain, an automatic locking device within the socket holding the stem against removal.

Other objects are to provide a device of this character which will be practically water tight, all of the operative parts of the connecter being enclosed, preventing mud or dirt from entering the same.

In the usual tire chain, it is desirable that the annulus be mounted upon the tire so that it may iioat upon the same, and for this reason, it is necessary that the connecter be of no greater cross sectional area than the chain and that no projections extend beyond the exterior of the same, thus allowing the annulus to fioat freely around the tire.

The above and other objects may be attained by providing a connecter such as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the connecter upon an enlarged scale; and

Fig. 2, a longitudinal sectional view p through the same.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawing.

The stem 1 preferably has a pointed or tapered end 2, the other end thereof having an eye 3 formed thereon for connection to one end of the chain 4.

The receiving socket comprises the cylinder .t3-having the tapered receiving end 6, the other end thereof being internally threaded as at 7 to receive the threaded plug 8 upon which a link 9 is integrally formed for connection to the lother en'd @of the chain 4.

A tubular sleeve 1() is inserted within the cylindric casing 5 and provided with the conical head 11 adapted to operate within the tapered extremity 6 of the casing and through the tubular sleeve, when the coni-V cal head of the sleeve is forced endwise into the tapered end of the casing.

The sleeve 10 is shouldered as at 14, a coil spring 15 being located around the sleeve and interposed between the shoulder and the plug 8 for the purpose of normally urging the conical end of the sleeve toward the tapered end of the casing.

The outer end of the cylindric sleeve 10 is closed as shown at 16 and a pin 17 is located transversely through the casing extending outward upon both sides thereof and terminating in round ends, the pin being of no greater length than the diameter of the casing 5.

By this construction, the ste1n1 may be entered endwise into the cylindric casing and the tubular sleeve therein, the act-ion of the spring 15 pressing the tubular sleeve endwise and forcing the balls 13 against the tapered end 'of the easing, clamping the stem between the balls so rigidly that it cannot b-e withdrawn without positively moving the tubular sleeve endwise against the action of the spring.

In order to release the stem, the pin 17 is grasped or a tool inserted beneath the same for forcing the tubular sleeve endwise against the action of the spring 15, releasing the pressure of the balls 13 upon t-he stem and allowing the same to be removed from the casing.

It will thus be evident that the chain connecter embodying the invention will be securely engaged by merely inserting the stem upon one end of the chain into the cylindric casing on the other end of the chain and may be easily released by an endwise pull upon the tubular sleeve; and the connecter being of no greater cross sectional area than the chain and having no projections extending beyond the same, will permit the chain to float upon the tire; the operativeI parts of the connecter being entirely enclosed to prevent mud or dirt from coming into contact with the same.

I claim 1. A connecter comprising a pair of members, one of which is a cylindric casing to receive the other member, a rigid link upon one end of the casing connected to one end of a tire chain, a spring pressed, endvvis-e-Inovahle clutch sleeve VW1tl111rtlie easing and extendlng outward through the end thereof, said; outerend loeing Closed,r4

and a transverse pin in said outer end of the clutch sleeve, and extended through sai-id link for releasing the clutch, the other inemhe-r comprising ay stem for insertionv intofthe clutch sleeve and provided with an eye at its outer endf Connected to the other end ofg the tire chain.

2: A connecter. comprising a pair of inem-l and a2 transversepin in said outerend: of the clutch sleevet and extended; through: said link for releasing theV clutch, the other member comprising a stern for insertion into the clutch sleeve and provided With an eye at its outerY end connected to the other end of the tireehain. Y

' 3. A connecter comprisinga pair of ineinbers, one of which is a oylindrie easing to receive the other member, a threaded, hollow plug 'being threaded into one end thereof and provided With an integral link connected to one end of a tire chain, a spring pressed, endivise movable-clutch sleeve Wit-hin the easing and extended lthrough said plug, anda transverse pin in the outer end of the clutch sleeve,y and extended through said link, Afor?releasing@'the Clutch, the other 11i-einher comprising' afstein forinsertion into theoluteh sleeveV and provided with an eye at its outer end connected to the other end of the tire chain.

. HOMER J. RICHARDS 

